It’s a fair way from Thanksgiving, but youth season for turkey hunts are starting in April, and the Hope Outdoors Youth Turkey Hunt is an event where young hunters can enjoy a safe hunt with their peers. Outdoorsman Jake Meyer and his hunting friends have teamed up with Hope Outdoors Christian Ministry to start the hunting camp to teach kids hunting safety and techniques, providing spiritual undertones while doing so. But most of all it’s about having fun and getting kids excited about the sport. “I think the kids will love getting an introduction into the hunting experience,” Meyer said. “I think it’s a fair argument that kids just don’t get outside like they used to, let alone hunt.” Meyer said the priority right now is to find young people who are eligible to take part in the hunt and offered a profile of the kind of applicant they have in mind, “We are looking for boys and girls facing unique adversity in their lives such as physical or emotional battles being an illness, loss, physical complications, domestic trauma, and things like that to enjoy the action and beauty of a spring turkey hunt,” he said. “There is an application process that will qualify candidates based on their situation and age.” The hunt takes place on Meyer’s private farmland, April 11 and 12. It includes meals, lodging, and a qualified guide.

For more information on applying for the hunt, or volunteering, contact Jake Meyer at 573-587-1571 or Houston Meyer at 573-880-6815.